Lumber-drier



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N0. 572,210. Patented Deo. 1, 1896.

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H. J. MORTON. LUMBBR DRIBR.

No. 572.210. Patented Dec. 1, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIOE.

HORACE J. NORTON, on oI-IIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

LUMBER-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 572,210, dated December 1, 1896. Application filed February 6,1896. stanno. 578,258. dimora.)

To @Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE J. MOETON, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber-Driers, of which the following, when taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, is a full and complete specification.

This invention relates to the class of lumber-driers or drying-kilns in which the heated and Inoistened air from the drier or kiln is brought into contact with cooling and condensing surfaces and then returned to the drier or kiln to be again heated and moistened; and the object of this invention is to obtain a lumber-drier of the kind named wherein fresh air can be admitted when and where desired, wherein air can be released from the drying room or kiln when desired and from below the top of the lumber being dried therein, and wherein the fresh air admitted to the kiln and the heated and moistened air released therefrom can be so controlled and regulated that however the atmosphere may be disturbed, as by winds or storms, the working of the kiln will not be affected thereby, and lumber will not be checked while being dried therein.

A further object of the invention is to obtain a steam heating apparatus for a lumberdrier wherein complete circulation of steam is obtained, water of condensation is delivered from the system, and perfect control of the apparatus secured.

In the drawings referred to, Figure l is a vertical sectional View of a lumber-drier ernbodying my invention on line l l of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional View of the lumber-drier; Fig. 3, a horizon tal sectional view on line 3 3' of Fig. 2, Viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one end of the airsupply conduit or duct of the lumber-drier; Fig. 5, an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the return-joint of the steam heating apparatus of the lumber-drier with short sections of the steam-pipes tting thereinto and Fig. 6, van end elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the steam-headers of the steam heating apparatus, of the connection between the headers, and of a short section of steam-pipe in the headers. Fig. 7 is a sectional View of a modified construction of the side wall of the lumber-drier on the same line as is Fig. 1, and Fig. 8 a perspective View of a shortsection of the side wall illustrated in Fig. 7.

A reference-letter applied to a given part is used to designate such part throughout the several figures of the drawings wherever the same appears.

X X X are foundation-piers of the lumberdrier.

A is the floor of the lumber-drier, and 0L the false iloor thereof. The false floor ct extends from the side walls ct d toward the center of the lumber-drier and to underneath the steam heating coils or pipes F F.

A A'are the outer walls of the lumberdrier, and a Ct' are the inner walls thereof.

B B are the studding of the side walls of the lumber-drier, and b b are pieces of studding laid on the floor A, on which the false Iiooring a is laid.

C C are openings through inner walls a d', through which openings heated and Inoistened air can pass from the lumber-drier into the space between walls a a and A A', and from thencethrough t-he conduits Obtained by studding B B and o b to the bottom of the lumber-drier and delivered through openings C C' back into the lumber-drier. By reference to Fig. l it will be seen that the apertures C C in walls a' a are below the top of the pile of lumber, (indicated by the broken lines Y Y in the lumber-drier.)

C2 C2 are openings in walls A/ A', through which air may escape from the conduits between the walls a A when the covers C3 C3 are opened, respectively. I

C4 is a deecting-board designed to protect openings C2 C2, respectively, from the direct action of the Wind, when required.

D is a fresh-air conduit extending longitudinally the entire length of the lumber-drier. Conduit D is divided into several compartments by partitions extending transversely across it, as at d and d', Fig. 2, and dotted line CZ', Fig. 3. Air is admitted to the end compartments of the conduit D by withdrawing slides D D2, respectively, by means of handles d2 d2, and air is admitted to the central compartments by withdrawing slides D3 D2 (by meansv of handles (Z2 d2, respectively) from over holes D4 D4, respectively. The manner in which fresh air contained in all or any of the compartments of conduit D is delivered into the lumber-drier is well illustrated in Fig. Lt, where d4 d4 are the side walls of conduit D, d2 d5 cross-planks, and d6 CZG the matched and planed boards or planks forming the top of the conduit.

D5 D5 are the apertures formed by laying plank or boards d d on cross-pieces d5 d5, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and through such apertures D5 D5 the air is delivered from conduit D in thin sheets to the lumber-drier underneath the steam heating pipes or coils F F, hereinafter described, and against the air delivered from apertures C' C' in a manner to mix therewith.

E E are standards supporting the longitudinally-extending track-stringers e e c, on which are placed the rails for the trucks or cars of the lu-mber-drier, and E' E' are crosspieces from standards E E. Steam-coils or steam-pipes F F rest on cross-pieces E' E'. Steam-coils F F consist of pipes ff', extending outward from headers G G', respectively, and into the retu rn-bendsf2, pipe g connecting header G with the steam supply; pipes g' g' g2 connecting the headers G G'; valve G2 in pipe g2 and blow-off cock g2; steam-trap G2; pipe G4 from header G' to steam-trap G2, and blow-off cock g4 to pipe G4.

g5 is the discharge-pipe from steam-trap G2.

lleaders G G' are connected when valve G2 is opened, as at such time steam entering header G from the steam supply (through pipe g) can pass from header G through pipes g g2 g' into header G', as well as from header G in to pipes f f, and from header G into pipes Water of condensation flowing into header G from pipes ff may flow from such header G through pipes g' g2 g' into header G', and water ot' condensation in header G' (flowing thereinto from pipes f'f' and g' g2 g') may flow therefrom through pipe G4 into steam-trap G2.

H H' may be metal plates acting' as condensation-plates.

In the modification` illustrated in Figs. 7 and S the openings C C2are made alternately between every other two of studding B B, and openings B2 B2 are made through every other one of such studding B B. Hence heated and inoistened air extending from the lumber-drier through aperture C will extend downward between the walls A' a', and a portion thereof passing through openings B2 will pass into the next adjacent space and some thereof will then extend up and out of apertures C2. The air passing through aperture C in this construction (as well as in the firstdescribed constructions) will pass down between walls A' c', thence along between fioor A and false floor a, and out of aperture O' into the drier.

The operation of the drier is: Vhen lumber, green or air-dried, has been properly piled on ears run into the lumber. drier or kiln and the doors closed and steam is admitted to header G from the steam supply, blow-off cock g4 is opened and steam in header Gwill extend therefrom through pipes ff and f' f' into header G', the air in such pipes and headers escaping through blow-off cock g2 or g4, or through both. After the headers G G and pipes ff' have been filled with steam the blow-off cocks g2 and g4 are closed and valve G2 is opened. Steam from header G will then extend through pipes g' g2 g' into header G', and from headers G G' into pipes fff' f', respectively. Vater of condensation forming in pipes fff will floW therefrom into header G, and from such header through pipes g' g2 g' int-o header G'. Tater of condensation in pipes f' f' f' will flow therefrom into header G'. )Vater of condensation in header G' will fioW therefrom through pipes G4 into steamtrap G2. Thus when the steam heating apparatus is first started steam and air are blown from header G through pipes fff and f' f' f' to header G', and from thence through pipe G4 and blow-olf cock g4, and after the air is blown from the apparatus steam is admitted to the respective pipes ff f and f'f'f' from the headers G G', respectively. Connecting-pipe g2 thus has two very important functions: first, to connect headers G G' so that both such headers will be filled with live steam, which will extend therefrom into pipes F F, connected thereto, respectively, and thus practically reduce the length of such pipes one-half relative to the travel of steam from the headers, and, secondly, to connect such headers so that water of condensation flowing into header Gfrom the pipes F F, extending out therefrom, may flow from such header G into header G', and from thence, together with the water of condensation in header G' from the pipes F F, extending out therefrom, may flow to trap G2. through pipe G4. By having valve G2 in the pipe connecting the headers steam may, when desired, be made to extend from one header, G, through the ent-ire length of pipes F F into the other header, G', and this is done when the heating-coils are started to drive the air in the header G and pipes F F into header G', from which it can escape through pipe G into steam-trap G3 and out of pipe g5 or through valve g4 in pipe G4, as preferred. After the air has been driven from the header G the valve g4should be closed and valve G2 opened. Vithout valve g2 the air in the headers would be forced into the header G and into the upper ends of the pipes F F (the ends of such pipes farthest from the headers) and would have to be removed therefrom by air-vent cocks in the usual way.

I prefer to provide means for forcing the air ahead of the steam into one header G' and out therefrom (through valve g4 or steamtrap G2, as described) rather than to leave headers G G' at all times connected, (as in the. case when valve G2 is omitted;) but the IOO IIO

use of an ordinary air-vent cock in the head ers Gr G', or either of them, or in pipes F, or any of them, whether valve Gr2 be used or not, is permissible.

IVhen the steam heating apparatus is properly adjusted, fresh air is admitted through conduit D either through one or all of the compartments thereof, and heated and moistened air is permitted to escape through some or all of the apertures or openings C2 C2.

In the operation of the lumber-drier heated and moistened air will pass down between walls A c', thence along between the iioor A and false iioor a, and through apertures C C' into the lumber-drier underneath heatingcoils F F. Such air delivered into the drier through'the apertures C C' is brought against and mixed with the fresh air delivered through apertures D5 D5, and such air is then heated by coils F F and circulation thereof thus maintained. Where a wind is blowing toward the headers and the fresh-air inlets (that is, the compartment) at the header end of the drier are opened, with the remaining fresh-air inlets closed and at the same time the air-outlets C? C2 at the other end of the drier are opened, there will be a movement or circulation of air from the header end of the drier (termed the dry end) toward the other end, (termed the green end.)

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

, 1. The combination of headers, steam-pipes extending outward from the headers and joined at their ends farthest from the headers, a steam connection between the headers, with a valve interposed in such connection, a connection betweenone of the headers and a steam-supply and a blow-off cock to the other header; substantially as described.

2. The combination of head ers, steam-pipes extending outward from the headers and joined at their ends farthest from the headers, a steam connection between the headers, with a valve interposed in such connection, a steam-trap, a connection between one of the headers and a steam supply, and a connection between the other header and the steamtrap, with a blow-oft cock` in the last-named connection; substantially as described.

The combination of steamheaders,means for supplying steam thereto, stea1n-pipes extending outward from the headers respectively, such steam heating-pipes joined at the ends thereof farthest from the headers, a steam connection between the headers independent-ly of the steam heating-pipes, and means for releasing air fromthe headers and steam heatingpipes: substantially as described.

et. The combination of headers, steampipes extending outward from the headers and joined at their ends farthest from the heady ers, a steam connection between the headers, with a valve interposed in such connection,

a steam-trap, a connection between one of the headers and a steam supply, and a yconnection betweenthe other header and the steamtrap, with a blow-off cock in the last-named connection and means for admitting cool air to the drying-room: substantially as described.

5. In a lumber-drier the combination of a fresh-air conduit consisting of a longitudinally extending chamber underneath the heating apparatus of the drier, such chamber divided into compartments, with means for controlling the admission of air to such compartments, severally, and openings on the sides of the longitudinally-extending chamber whereby thin sheets of air are delivered therefrom into the drier; substantially as described.

6. In a lumber-drier the combination of a fresh-air conduit consisting of a longitudinally extending chamber underneath the heating apparatus of the drier, such chamber divided into' compartments, with means for controlling the admission of air to such compartments, severally, and openings on the sides of the longitudinally-extending chamber whereby thin sheets of air are delivered therefrom into the drier, and means for returning heated and moistened air from near the top of the drier to and mixing it with such sheets of fresh air; substantially as described.

7. In a lumber-drier, the combination of an air-supply conduit consisting of a longitudinallyextending chamber underneath .the heating apparatus of the drier, such chamber divided into compartments, with means for controlling the supply of air to the several compartments, and with openings on the sides of the longitudinally extending chamber through which sheets of air are delivered into the drier, and means for discharging moist air from the drier at points therein below the tops of the piles of drying lumber; substantially as described.

8. In a lumber-drier, the combination of a fresh-air conduit consisting of a longitudinally extending chamber underneath the heating apparatus of the drier, such chamber divided into compartments, with means for controlling the admission of air to the several compartments, and with openings on the sides of the longitudinally extending chamber through which sheets of air are delivered into the drier, means for discharging moist air from the drier at points therein below the tops of the piles of drying lumber but above the heating apparatus and returning such moist air to underneath the heating apparatus and there mixing it with the incoming sheets of air, and means for discharging a determined portion of such returning moist air from the drier and to the atmosphere; substantially as described.

HORACE J. MORTON.

In presence of- CHARLns TURNER BROWN, FLORA L. BROWN.

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